By completing the Master of Wealth and Trust Management degree, you will obtain firm practical, experiential and theoretical foundations in a variety of financial industry fields. Through the program you will gain skills in investment analysis and portfolio management, and financial, retirement and estate planning, as well as in-depth knowledge of securities regulation, wealth transfer and risk management.

The program includes two face-to-face courses each fall and spring during evenings at Gardner-Webb’s campus in Charlotte, N.C., a city that is second only to New York City in banking assets headquarters nationwide. It also includes two online courses each summer. In addition to internship and mentorship opportunities, you will apply your classroom knowledge in a state-of-the-art financial laboratory that offers global market data and interactive technologies in GWU’s Charlotte center.

A master’s degree in Wealth and Trust Management from Gardner-Webb provides you with the knowledge and skills to enter and progress within these and other careers in the financial industry:

trust and wealth management

financial planning

private banking

investment management

insurance planning

estate planning

Students in this program are employed by major financial institutions in the Charlotte region, including Bank of America, BB&T, Wells Fargo, TIAA-CREF, LPL Financial, Fifth Third Bank and Northwestern Mutual.

In addition to the University’s prerequisites, the Master of Wealth and Trust Management requires the completion of 36 graduate credit hours within six calendar years, including a Capstone “Wealth Transfer Seminar” course. Additional information, including specific courses and their corresponding credit hours, is available in the Academic Catalog.

College Credit and Testing

There is no testing requirement for applicants who meet one of the following criteria:

Hold a graduate degree from a regionally accredited university

Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA or a minimum 3.0 GPA in last 64 credit hours of courses

Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 2.5 overall GPA or minimum 2.60 GPA in last 64 credit hours of courses, AND have completed at least three years of professional work experience within a relevant industry sector as determined by the Admissions Committee and verified by a professional résumé

GPA+GMAT Option

Applicants with a GPA below the 2.5 minimum can still qualify for the program with a QA (Quantitative Acceptance) Formula score of 950 or better. To qualify for this option, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 2.25 overall GPA or minimum 2.5 GPA in last 64 credit hours of courses

Obtain a minimum GMAT score of 450 (GRE is accepted using the GRE® Comparison Tool for Business Schools to convert the GRE score to GMAT equivalent)

The QA score is determined with the QA Formula:

(GPA x 200)+GMAT Score >= 950

For example, a 2.25 overall GPA and a 500 GMAT would result in a total of 950, which is acceptable for full admission.

Applicants with a GPA below the 2.5 minimum can still qualify for the program with a QA (Quantitative Acceptance) Formula score of 950 or better. To qualify for this option, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 2.25 overall GPA or minimum 2.5 GPA in last 64 credit hours of courses

Obtain a minimum GMAT score of 450 (GRE is accepted using the GRE® Comparison Tool for Business Schools to convert the GRE score to GMAT equivalent)

The QA score is determined with the QA Formula:

(GPA x 200)+GMAT Score >= 950

For example, a 2.25 overall GPA and a 500 GMAT would result in a total of 950, which is acceptable for full admission.